down a heavy fence, the firing of the battery ceased.* We advanced to the top of a hill in the rear of La Vergne, when Colonel Dodge received orders to return to town.

I thought at the time, and think so still, that our advance through the woods was as rapid as circumstances would admit of. The only time lost was when I directed the cavalry to reconnoiter on our left. halting at that time was thought to be a necessity.

Hoping the above will fully explain the matter to in Orders, No.-, I remain, respectfully, yours,

SIR: In compliance with the request of Lieutenant-Colonel Housum, commanding Seventy-seventh Regiment, I have the honor to make the following report of the part that I took in the skirmish near La Vergne, Tenn:

When the Seventy-seventh had formed on the left of the Twenty-ninth Indiana, I was ordered to take one company and deploy it forward as skirmishers, and join on the left of the skirmishers of the Twenty-ninth, which I did, and which post I had the honor to hold throughout the skirmish. After I had got my company into position, we were ordered to advance across the woods, and over a ditch, which was the bed of a small creek; thence across an open space to the edge of the grove on the left of the town. From the time I first deployed the company, the enemy had firing on us, and in a short time after we entered the latter grove the firing became quite heavy upon my position of the line. At this time the whole line of skirmishers was ordered to halt, and my little band sustained the concentrated fire of the rebels for a considerable length of time, when the rebels advanced us with a loud cheering, which cheering we as lustily returned. My portion of the command being at this time re-enforced, we charged upon them, and drove them back through the woods and across an open space to the next grove beyond, their officers using their utmost endeavors to rally them,which they partially succeeded in doing behind a fence on the opposite edge of the grove. They did not stay our progress, however, and one portion of the rebels returned pell-mell down the road toward the Lebanon pike, and the other in tolerable order toward the railroad. We were here ordered to move by the right flank, which we did for about 150 or 200 yards, and then advanced directly across the railroad at an angle first, and when the left of my line had passed over the railroad about 100 yards, I discovered a section of artillery belonging to the enemy a little to the front, but almost upon my right flank. I immedi-

*NOTE ON ORIGINAL.-The line of skirmishers passed through a field on our left,and advanced through the woods in the direction of the hill on which the rebel battery was placed.